


To Balance the Scales

by Toryb



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Betty hates big corporations, Dark Fairy Tale Elements, Eventual Smut, F/M, Forbidden Love, Little Mermaid Elements, Marine Biologist!Betty, Mermaids, Merman!Jughead, On a scale of little mermaid to shape of water this is like a five, Sirens, brief mention of almost drowning, eventual mermaid erotica, me too betty, monster fucker betty is canon so jot that down
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:09:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25042942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Toryb/pseuds/Toryb
Summary: A practical woman of science, Betty is not eager to admit that the reason she chose the field of marine sciences was because of her childhood fascination with mermaids. In her childhood she swore she had lived out her own Little Mermaid, saved by some fantastical creature, brought onto shore in hopes of searching for them so they could be together. Now her goals are much more practical. Offered the chance of a lifetime to study a newly discovered marine creature, she leaves her position as a teacher to work for The St. Claire company at the behest of her best friend. In the facility she comes face to face with a discover to shatter her world. Mermaids are real and she thinks she might be falling in love with one.
Relationships: Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 47
Kudos: 126





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Guys I remembered how to write fanfiction. I come to you, offering what I have managed to write, hoping that you enjoy it. I haven't written in months because of the lack of muse and personal things going on in my life, but I was plagued with this idea and unable to shake it loose. Betty Cooper is a canonical monster fucker (werewolf Jughead!) and I needed to scream it from the rooftops. I hope you guys enjoy a more grounded look at the fantastical things I like to write.
> 
> Small Trigger Warning: At the beginning of this there is a brief mention of Betty almost drowning. Obviously she lives and I don't go into too much detail.
> 
> Shout out to @arsenicpanda who's favorite hobby has become enabling my betty cooper is a monster fucker agenda.

Betty could remember the early years of her childhood clearly. Her family lived in a quaint little home in the town of Seaside, where the waves crashed often and those from the surrounding towns would strike out with surfboards and kayaks to enjoy the summer sun. Many of her fondest memories involved dunking her toes into the water as she was chased by her older sister, Polly. When puberty hit and the world seemed tough and merciless she would make her way down to the beach and curl up under the sun.

Perhaps it was all the little shops on the pier that convinced her little mind that the mythical mermaid was real. Crafty salesmen bamboozled her parents out of paper bills as they spun tales of seashells strung together by mermaids but abandoned on land. Her room was outfitted with iridescent tails and other mermaid-themed paraphernalia. When her parents' arguments got too loud, she would curl up in front of the television with her notebook and study the culture presented in  _ The Little Mermaid _ .

She held onto her childish dreams for longer than most. On the day her parents’ divorce was finalized, one week before thirteen-year-old Betty and sixteen-year-old Polly would be uprooted from their cozy seaside village and into their grandparents’ basement in Riverdale, she walked with her sister on the pier. It was raining outside but her mother’s warpath had caused them to retreat to the less harsh embrace of a summer storm. Her polka-dotted raincoat kicked up in the breeze as her umbrella shuttered, struggling to stay upright.

“I wish we could go swim in the sea with the mermaids. Get away from here,” she muttered under her breath, pulling out her little notebook. It had been a gift from her father for her fifth birthday. Now the pages were folded and yellowing and the spine was bent backwards with love.

Betty had not expected her sister to act so harshly. Before she could even blink, Polly had snatched the notebook from her hands, pulling back. Betty couldn’t tell if it was the storm or tears that streaked her sister’s face, but she knew just by looking in her eyes that she shared the same heartbreak Betty did.

“Will you stop fucking talking about mermaids and fairytales like they’re real? You’re almost in high school, Betty, you can’t keep thinking you’re going to find some prince in the ocean and run away with him!”

“You don’t know that. There’s so much of the ocean we haven’t seen,” she huffed indignantly. Maybe no one understood it yet, but she was going to be the first to uncover the great civilization hidden under the sea. “Now stop being a jerk and give me back my notebook.”

“If you want it so bad then why don’t you go get it? Or maybe one of your fish friends can bring it back?”

And then Polly threw the book as hard as she could. It made a splash in the water, ripples swallowed up by the choppy sea. It was so dark that even as Betty stared down she couldn’t see anything but the black anger of Poseidon's wrath.

She was weeping then, screaming in fear as she watched her treasure be swallowed up by the merciless sea. “I hate you!” she cried, turning to her sister. “I hate you so much! You—you bitch!”

“Oh you think you’re a big girl now because you can curse? Fine. Maybe you’ll finally learn to grow up!”

When Betty turned away, intent on running as far as she could in the storm, she saw something glint in the water. Hope swelled in her heart, and without thinking she pulled off her raincoat and jumped into the water. Above she could hear her sister’s frightened scream, begging her to come back. She ignored whatever false apologies Polly was making and dove as deep as she could.

The thick fabric of her jeans and sweater made it hard to swim, and soon enough they were weighing her down so much it was hard to come up for air. When she finally broke through the black glass, she found herself in the middle of the ocean as rain came down fast. The droplets stung her skin with every harsh attack. Betty kicked off her shoes in hopes of keeping herself above water for a few more seconds, but every time a new wave came crashing forward she was thrown further into the unforgiving sea.

When panic settled in, it was already getting difficult to gulp in a few mouthfuls of air before being pulled down again. Her eyes felt as heavy as the rest of her body. Saltwater stung her eyes as she drifted further and further away from her home. Her body had become limp, and she wondered for a moment what might become of her before everything went dark. She felt weightless as the currents carried her away, like she was being cradled in her mother’s arms.

The first breath of air she took burned her lungs. Betty reached forward, gasping and sputtering. Her sister was above her sobbing, parents flanked on either side. There was someone she recognized as a shop owner standing above her, his hands pulling away from her chest which felt bruised from pressure. Her family rushed to hold her and check whatever wounds she might have suffered. None of them scolded her rash decision, and she thought perhaps Polly had decided to spare them both the lecture and made up a story.

Once she was finally able to stand, she felt something thick fall from the inside of her sweater pocket. There in the sand was the little seashell notebook Polly had thrown into the ocean. The words were horribly smudged and the pages smelled like saltwater, but holding that little book in her hand, Betty knew there was so much left in this world to discover.

* * *

“B, please, I’m asking you as your best friend, your favorite fashionable girl, your ride-or-die forever. Just do me this one favor.”

Betty sighed as she flipped through the articles section in the Newsroom section of her phone, picking up the now lukewarm coffee and taking a sip. She knew if she dared to look at Veronica she would cave into her friend’s wishes in an instant. “I distinctly remember doing a lot of favors for you in college. The biggest one being helping you win the title of Sorority President from Cheryl Blossom.”

“Okay, one, you know we needed a good change, and two, you wanted her dethroned as badly as I did. That doesn’t have anything to do with what we’re talking about though. And if you think about it, it really isn’t even a favor so much as I’m recommending you to someone who could give you a job for life. You’re a marine biologist and one of the biggest companies on the East Coast is asking you to take a look at some fish they found in the ocean. How is that not your wildest dream come true?”

“Well for starters I would have to take a sabbatical. I’m still a teacher now, V, I can’t just ignore that. And I’ve been doing my own research. I don’t have time to do someone else’s.”

She should have guessed that her best friend’s call for coffee that morning would have been yet another attempt at getting her to agree to a position at The St. Clair Company. The name had come up a few times in conversation, mostly because the current CEO was one of Veronica’s exes and until just a few weeks ago she had taken every opportunity possible to shit on him. That and their current adventures revolved much around the fishing and aquatic industries. Of course, Betty was more skeptical of this sudden turn. As much as she loved her friend, the woman could become a shrewd business woman at the snap of her fingers.

“He’ll pay you twice what you’re making as a professor right now, Betty. Hell, maybe even three times. I don’t want you missing out on such an amazing opportunity for your career. Think about it, you, Dr. Elizabeth Cooper, could be the first to discover an unknown aquatic species.”

That idea was the only thing that kept her entertained by this whole ridiculous affair. In most cases she would rather chew her right hand off than work for such a big corporation, but if what they had found was as big as Veronica was making it out to seem, then it felt so absurd to pass up such a great opportunity. Especially if it meant she could monitor the ethics of the situation. Someone less qualified could come along and potentially destroy something so valuable.

“But what’s in it for Lodge Industries? You wouldn’t be pushing so hard if you didn’t get anything out of it.”

At first, it seemed like Veronica wanted to argue, but she leaned back in her seat and crossed her coach heels one over the other. “Nick said that if I can convince you to take even one look at what he’s managed to catch then he’ll pull out on the bid for that warehouse I want for my rum factory. We already have the contract signed and everything. All I have to do is get you to agree to it.”

Being part of a big bidding game was the exact reason Betty refrained from getting too mixed up in the corporate world. The whole thing made her want to get right out of her seat and walk out of the building, but the potential for knowledge was worth so much.

With a deep breath, she made her decision. “He can have me for three hours on Saturday. There he can show me what he’s got and make his case for why I’m so important in this. I’ll make my decision if I want to stay on after that. It’s the best I can offer you right now, and I’m making no promises about if I’ll even want to stick around.”

“All I’m asking for is that you give this a chance.” Veronica squealed and leaned over to hug Betty tightly. “I can’t thank you enough, B. I promise that this is the last favor I will ever ask of you. Now what do you want? Lunch is my treat.”

“Of course. You know I’d do anything to help you.” She offered her a tight smile but for the rest of the meal her mind wandered. What was there to uncover that was so grand? Would she really be able to go down in history over something so small? The St. Clair Company had kept everything out of the media so far, a miracle in and of itself, so perhaps there really was something truly outstanding waiting for her.

There was a little flutter in her heart. Maybe…but no. She couldn’t be foolish and silly like that. She was a grown woman with a PhD in Marine Biology. She had graduated the top of her class, valedictorian for her undergraduate degree, and made it into many prestigious programs. Now was not the time to be revisiting childhood dreams of fantastical creatures living under the ocean.

She indulged Veronica for another hour or two before making up a reason to head back home. It was near the end of the semester, and even though she was far ahead on grading papers, it was a good escape route. The entire drive home all she could think about were the possibilities just over the horizon. Before she had even properly sat down for dinner there was a message on her phone from a number she didn’t recognize.

_ Dr. Cooper. I am so glad you agreed to come study the new specimen with me. I can assure you that you won’t be disappointed. Veronica has told me of your dedication and expertise and I only hire the best of the best to work for me. Saturday morning you’ll be picked up by my assistant, Kevin Keller, and taken to our facility. I can’t wait to have your keen eye on this. -Nick St. Claire. _

Betty tried to figure out the best way to answer without offending him. As curious as she was, there was still a bad taste left in her mouth at the very idea of working with this prick. There was a suspicious lack of information regarding his company scandals on the internet. That alone gave her pause as she cautiously typed out of reply.

_ I haven’t decided yet if what you’re offering is enough for me to resign from my position at the University. I promise to keep an open mind however. _

The reply came quickly.

_ Oh. I assure you it will be. _

Betty slept fitfully the next two nights, unable to find any rest while her mind shook with curiosity over what exactly was waiting for her. She woke up early on Saturday, changing into an outfit she wouldn’t mind getting wet (and if it was a large specimen the chances were high) and boiled up a pot of black tea to keep her awake. She would only have to spend three hours there and yet she had all but made up her mind. It was going to take a lot to get her to agree to work for The St. Clair Company. Unless there was a miracle in that tank, she was going to offer him a polite but firm thank-you-but-no-thank-you.

Morning preparations would have been a lot easier had she been told what exactly she might find. She doubted it would be any kind of mammal, but perhaps a cetacean would be likely? In all likelihood it was some type of coral she was about to be presented with. A bit boring to wake up so early on a Saturday for, but not without its merits. Maybe she could give a few tips for whatever scientist they would bring in after her to make the job a little bit easier. And leave a number in case they needed to call SOS.

By the time she had finished off her toast and her second cup of tea, Betty could see a car pulling up in front of her driveway. No doubt this was the assistant Nick had vaguely told her about. She tried not to dread the next three hours as she poured the remainder of her tea into a travel mug and went to meet him outside.

“Dr. Cooper. I’ve heard so much about you.” The man extended his hand with bright eyes and a genuine smile. He wasn’t the kind of person she expected to be hanging around a big corporation, but maybe they were getting better at luring in the youth. He practically buzzed with energy and excitement, his grip lasting a little too long for her taste as he reached out to shake her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m excited we’ll have you on our team for this.”

“Potentially,” she corrected with her kindest smile. “I’m not so sure if I can leave my position quite yet. That’s why I agreed to see what your company wanted me to study.”

“I promise you’re not going to want to leave. Here, let’s get on our way. I don’t mean to overwhelm you, but there’s a few things we have to do on our way there.” The interior of the car was as nice as she had anticipated, though the chilling bottle of 8 AM white wine was a bit of a surprise. “First things first, we’re going to need you to sign a nondisclosure agreement. Even if you don’t decide to stay with us, we can’t have you passing on potential information to other companies. I’m sure you understand.”

She understood fine enough, though she felt her skin boil beneath the surface. This was another quest in knowledge for profit, not for knowledge’s sake. If this really was something that would change the world as they knew it, why shouldn’t she be able to share the news? 

Still, Betty picked up the pen and signed her name. “Of course I understand. That’s how business is sometimes. I admit everyone is hyping up this great discovery so much I can’t wait to see what it is. Have you seen it yet?”

“I have,” Kevin answered eagerly. “Mr. St. Clair has left me in charge of ensuring that operations are going smoothly. He has to keep himself busy with the company’s other endeavors so no one is suspicious we’ve found something. It’s a big task but I know I can accomplish it. You know an ex-boyfriend of mine was studying Marine Sciences. We still keep in contact, and when I told him I might get to work with you he was pretty upset. He’s in the navy now, goes by Moose.”

There was something overly friendly about Kevin that made her brashness soften just a bit. He seemed nice enough, though a little talkative, and it was better than the car ride being one of uncomfortable silence. “That’s incredibly sweet. I don’t think I’m all that great though. I’m just passionate about what I do.”

“That’s what your friend Veronica said too. Can I just say that whenever she walks into the room my heart stops? If she killed someone I think they’d say thank you. I probably would.”

Betty laughed. “She has that effect on people, yeah. I’ve known her since undergrad so I think I’m a little less afraid than most people are. But you should see her when someone is being mean to one of her employees. She’s like a viper.”

“God, she gets cooler by the minute.”

The rest of the conversation was easy enough. They didn’t speak much about what she was getting ready to see, but every time she brought it up Kevin dodged her questions as best as he could. With so little information she was starting to get nervous. Maybe this was some incredibly elaborate kidnapping scheme? Not that it would make any sense. Even on their worst days she knew that Veronica would come hunting for her if something happened.

Eventually they made their way to a large, nondescript building. There was no indication who might own the area, only that it was important. The entire thing was fenced in with high barbed wire, and the driver took them only as far as the guard stand.

“He’s not allowed in the premises. Privacy hazard,” Kevin explained, helping her out. “You’ll be able to drive yourself in once you start working here, but there’s a designated area for cars to be parked. You’ll get a sticker and everything.”

The man at the guard station looked them over curiously, taking Kevin’s badge and scanning it. “Who’s this, Keller?”

“Elizabeth Cooper. If you look under my name you’ll see she’s a pre-approved guest, authorized by Mr. St. Claire himself. Don’t be so surprised, Reggie, we told you she was coming.”

“Yeah, yeah. I can never remember the name of all the science people you guys have running in and out of here. As long as the boss gives his stamp of approval, I don’t really care.” The guy reached out, tapping the counter. “I’m gonna need your phone Dr. Elizabeth. No cameras allowed inside the facility.”

Kevin gave her an awkward smile as she handed her phone over. “I promise it won’t be this rigorous everytime you come in. Since you’re not technically an employee, we have to go through everything. You’ll have an officer and a locker once you’re official, but for now we have to maintain high security.”

“Of course. I understand.”

But she didn’t, not really. With every step they took farther and farther into these concrete walls, she couldn’t help but feel a heavy anticipation building in her chest. No one would be this rigorous over some new type of coral species. No, no, Veronica was right, this was something big, something beyond understanding. She wondered if her friend had any idea what might be hidden in the deep recesses of this facility.

Kevin guided her through a few more security checks, all made by guards with half the sense of humor that Reggie had. Most of the hallways were brightly lit, sterile white tile beneath her feet and thick grey walls on every side of her. There were hardly any decorations, just doors spaced meters apart, different only in the numbers etched into the gold plates hanging from them. She saw other people in lab coats coming in and out, but if there were any windows she didn’t see them.

Heart thundering in her chest, Betty followed close behind Kevin, her eyes wide and her hands shaking in anticipation. Finally, they stopped in front of a thick metal door labeled Laboratory One.

“What you’re about to see is going to break open everything we’ve ever known about Marine Sciences,” Kevin spoke with as much excitement as she felt. “Trust me. After you see this, there won’t be a way to turn back.”

And then the door opened.

Betty entered cautiously, eyes adjusting to the bright fluorescent lights hanging above them. This was by far the largest laboratory she had ever stepped foot in. All around her were tables scattered with gadgets she recognized from being out in the field. At the center of it all was a large tank, perhaps even 500,000 gallons, certainly large enough to fit a small collection of dolphins and seals. But as she took a step closer, it was impossible to see anything inside the water.

“I—I’m afraid I don’t see anything,” she said, placing her hand gently on the tank.

“We have a cave in there that he likes to hide in. Here let me bring him out. We’ve figured out a way to call him to us, at least sometimes. Hopefully this works.”

He walked to one of the tables, pulling out what she could only describe as a larger dolphin whistle. During her younger years she had worked at a dolphin sanctuary training the animals. Maybe this was some kind of sea mammal after all. Certainly that would pique her interest, but to call that groundbreaking, potentially changing the entire field, seemed a bit of a stretch.

Kevin took a deep breath and blew the whistle.

Suddenly, Betty came face to face with a creature of her wildest fantasies. The first thing she saw were the eyes, black as night, reflecting the gentle ripple of the water overhead, staring at her with curiosity. But these were not the eyes of a dolphin of a whale, no, the face that held them was so distinctly human aside from the dark iron scales crawling up its neck and face.

She looked down, and to her utter amazement what followed the gentle curve of a finely toned chest was not two legs but one large iridescent tail. There were patches of lighter grey and white scales, particularly on the underside. Its fins curved out, thin and beautiful like an angelfish. There was a hand pressed against the glass, right where hers was still sitting. Its fingers were webbed, nails long and sharp. With every new aspect she uncovered, Betty found the air leaving her lungs.

“Is that…is it?”

“A mermaid!” Kevin finished. “A real one. I told you! Everything anyone ever knew is different. There are creatures out there that are like us and them and we have the chance to figure out how they work. It’s not just fairy tales and fantasy. Evolution managed to create something like this. How does he breathe? What does he think about? How complex are their societies? Are their emotions and brains as developed as ours?”

Whatever else he said faded into the background like a gentle white noise as her eyes fixated on the curious creature staring at her. All of her adult life she had tried to chase away the fantastical curiosity in her soul, the same thing that had nearly gotten her drowned as a child. And here it was, staring right at her. Everything about him was hauntingly beautiful, ethereal in a way she could not place. Their gaze lingered for a moment more before the creature darted away to the back of the tank where she suspected his cave might be.

“What do you know about him? Does he speak? Why are there no other researchers here? Surely, I can’t be the only person in this entire facility qualified for something like this?”

Kevin’s expression shifted gently, looking into the ceiling lights. “Unfortunately, the specimen has been less than cooperative. We had an intern come in here to feed him and he nearly bit his finger off. We throw in food every day, and it eats it, but that’s the only contact we can get. We’ve contemplated taking out the cave so he can’t keep hiding, but without it he would thrash around and make these horrible wailing noises.”

“A Siren,” she whispered softly, turning her gaze back to the tank. “Amazing. Have you managed to gender it?”

“No one can get close enough. We suspect he’s a male but who knows how sex or gender present in their species. We could be completely wrong about everything, so no one’s made any guesses. We’re hopeful that’s something you’ll be able to do.”

Betty nodded. Without a single doubt in her mind, she knew she would give everything away for this moment. These fantastical, beautiful creatures were real, and there was one right in front of her. She needed to know everything, to learn everything, to listen and speak and come to understand him.

“Yes. Yes. I’m in. I’ll do it. Please, let me be the one to study him. If he can scream that means he’s potentially got developed vocal cords. His entire upper half is so familiar to humans, like ours, I bet he has the capacity for speech. Oh my God, this is absolutely groundbreaking! I can’t believe it, I can’t believe this.”

She was utterly giddy, hands clamped tightly, moving around the front of the tank in hopes of catching another glimpse of him. “Is there a chance I can look at him more today? I’m not sure I can wait until tomorrow.”

“Unfortunately, we’ve only got you scheduled for the allotted three hours today, but while I go gather the paperwork to complete your employment I’ll leave you here. There are security cameras, so don’t be worried about anything happening. Oh, and here.” he pulled out a long chain from his pocket, hanging from it was a large box with a button in the center. “A panic button. If anything happens to you, press it and someone in security will come running. They have stun tools to help get him under control. It’s waterproof too. For obvious reasons. You’ll have a perfectly safe environment while you work and access to anything you might need.”

Betty offered him a quite thank you before tucking the button into her back pocket. She had no interest in using it, especially if there was a chance one of those guards could turn around and hurt this ethereal beauty. She had no idea how fragile they might be, what the stress of such a change, and especially a literal shock to their system could bring. There would be no need for that kind of testing, especially if he was as human as she suspected.

“I’ll be back in about a half hour, Dr. Cooper. There’s a notebook and a tablet over there to write down any observations you might have. It’s hooked up to all the systems here too. I’ll leave you to it.”

When the door closed behind her, she heard the telltale splash of water. Above the tank she saw a head poking out and those same curious eyes looking down at her.

“Hello. My name is Betty. Do you have a name?”

He didn’t reply, fixated on watching her every movement. While she couldn’t tell from this far away exactly how his pupils might be working, he could track her steps with just his eyes, not having to move his head. With him this close to the glass she could study the underside of his tail better. She marked in the notebook the patterns she saw, curious as to what they might potentially mean.

It appeared that mermaids (perhaps now it was time to start thinking of a scientific name) were likely carnivorous. His nails were sharpened to a point and from the bit she could see of his teeth they were pointed like sharks’. Every few minutes she would get distracted from her work and just stare and the subtle movements of his body. It was difficult to tell from here what sex organs might be present, especially when there was nothing to compare him too.

“Are you a boy?”

No response again.

Perhaps she had over estimated the chance that he was able to speak, or even hear her. As similarly developed as he was to her, there was no guarantee how everything looked on the inside. Besides that he may not even know what she was saying. Language was so complex and for humans alone there were thousands of different dialects and languages being spoken around the world. Why on Earth would he speak the same way she did?

Early on like this the most Betty could do was make observations. Perhaps when she had full days here she could get a closer look and determine what sort of features would be there. If she could get him docile, she might even be able to study him up close. Her wildest fantasies were coming true. It was hard to imagine that this wasn’t a dream.

“It’s alright if you don’t speak the same way I do. We’ll figure out a way to communicate.”

Humans had done it before with primates. There was no doubt that mermaids and humans must have evolved from a common ancestor, so the chances were good she could at least make it easier for him to understand her. She could work with pictures, letters, numbers, anything. Anything to help her understand what sort of world they might live in under the cool glass exterior of the ocean.

Time was ticking by fast and Betty loathed to have to go. “I’ll be back tomorrow,” she promised. “And every day after that. Don’t worry, I’ll figure out a way to communicate so you can tell me what will make you as comfortable as possible. I’m glad you got them to understand you needed a cave. Even if all you do is scream at me, we’ll work something out.”

She set aside her notes, making sure to memorize them as best she could so she could return home and write them down in her own private notebooks. She would do her best to finish up whatever course work was left for her students to make their lives easier, but this was not an opportunity someone gave up on. One day, when they could announce this discovery to the world, they would understand.

“Goodbye. I’ll think of a name for you soon so they stop calling you the specimen. It feels weird, doesn’t it?” Betty smiled at him again, pressing her hand against the glass where his tail was currently pressed. He had been watching her the entire time, so at least she knew he could breath with his head above water. “God, you are so beautiful.”

Hearing footsteps in the hallway, she knew her time with him was coming to an end. She put away the things she had used, but just as she was about to open the door herself and greet Kevin, she heard a strained voice, barely there. 

“Thank you.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, hello. This is where I make a disclaimer that says I am not a marine biologist. i am not a scientist. i mean I am so far in the fact that I got my degree in psychology and anthropology. So i'm a social scientist. Which means I probably focus more on culture than like biology here and ai AM SORRY and I know NOTHING about FISH DICKS or FISH SCALES or anything like that and I did a lot of research to help me figure it out but if you are a marine biologist i am so, so sorry.
> 
> thanks @arsenicpanda: a hero, a friend, a beta, an mermaid erotica enabler
> 
> anyway, enjoy Betty lusting after a mermaid.

Betty spent the entire night thinking of the mermaid in the glass jar, looking at her with those brilliant eyes, full of depth and intelligence and warmth that she had yet to uncover. Had she been hallucinating the whole thing? Perhaps he hadn’t spoken at all and that deep part of herself she tried so desperately to bury had unearthed itself at the worst possible time. Maybe childish fancy and whimsy has burst right through her hardened science exterior and left her crumbled and unable to speak.

Except Dr. Cooper was a scientist. No matter how fanciful her mind could be, she was unwaveringly brilliant, and today she had seen a mermaid and heard him speak. It was impossible to stay still, even as she laid trying to sleep that evening. With a deep sigh of regret, she shot out of bed without wasting any time, grabbing the nearest notebook so she could begin scribbling notes and theories inside of it.

_ Are their vocal cords similar to humans? _

_ What is the mer-society? _

_ Why can he speak English and not some unknown language? _

The list went on and on until she finally turned her gaze to the nightstand and saw, through blurry vision, that it was nearly three in the morning. Tomorrow (well today according to the clock) she would be going back to work. On the way out of the facility Betty had all but begged for the contract to be finished as quickly as it could. Even if it meant selling her soul to Nicholas St. Claire, she was willing, because never in her wildest fantasies had she thought, even dared to hope, that there was a reality in which the creatures of her dreams existed. And yet, there he was. No matter how many times she thought it over there was no plausible way that this was all some elaborate trick. Right there in a secret lab was the kind of discovery that could shatter the world.

And Betty had the chance to be right there breaking it all.

Despite her love of science and the intricate complexities of the marine world, there was always that part of her that craved the attention of it all. When her papers were published and her family sent her casual congratulations, it felt like the world was hers again. But that praise was always fleeting. She was strong, capable, taking care of herself. Polly had never really recovered from that day at the lake. The shock of nearly killing her sister (a secret that still remained between the two of them) had led her down a path of misery. No matter how many times Betty forgave her, she could not forgive herself.

Hopefully the weird commune of nudists she had joined could help her find peace with it. The pseudoscience cult certainly hadn’t.

When the flashing red letters matched with the early morning sun peaking through her curtains, Betty realized that the rest of the day would be a waste if she didn’t at least try to get some sleep. The excitement ran red-hot in her veins, but as the hours passed by slowly, she could no longer deny the exhaustion heavy on her eyelids.

Bathed in a sunkissed glow, she dreamed of living in the sea amongst the mermaids. It was a recurring sort of bliss that came to her every now and again when she let herself fall against her blankets. Only now the once-abstract caricatures had turned into detailed inhabitants of a vast underwater Utopia. She swam amongst them, though how she never knew.

Amongst the familiar faces was the mermaid she had seen back in the lab, spinning around as younger guppies watched on with glee. When their eyes locked he stopped his frolicking and made his way towards her. The crowd he left protested for a few moments but finally began to scatter, distracting themselves with seashell toys and coral hideouts.

His fingers interlocked with hers and he whispered something in her ear she couldn’t recall upon waking. But in her dream she understood him, a flush coming across her cheeks, bubbles floating higher up and up, air escaping her mouth as she laughed. They were swimming together towards a place her dream self recognized. The cave was filled with human trinkets and bobbles.

The merman eagerly took her towards a small chest, opening it to reveal a stash of golden jewelry hiding amongst bits of seaweed. He reached inside and procured a comb decorated in diamonds. Before she could even ask what he was doing, he had slid it in the curls of her hair, smiling softly as she reached up to touch.

Their hands touched and she felt his eyes lock onto his. It all felt so perfect, peaceful. His eyes flickered close as he leaned forward ever so slowly—

And then her alarm rang. 

Betty sat up with wild hair and frantic eyes. According to the clock she had pressed, she hit her snooze alarm one too many times and it was only a matter of minutes before the car from yesterday would come and sweep her away to the hidden laboratory. She moved with the kind of ease that only scientists lost in their work can achieve.

This was a practiced pattern: coffee on while she ran a comb through her hair, pulling it up in her signature ponytail before sprinting across the house to make sure she had brushed her teeth. The coffee pot dinged just in time, though the mix of vanilla creamer, mint, and caffeine left an unpleasant film in her mouth. It wasn’t near as bad as the time she had chugged a glass of orange juice on the go, and for that she was thankful.

Just as she had finished her cup and stuffed a few pre-peeled orange slices into her mouth, butter on her knife as her uncooked bagel stared up at her laughing, there was a knock at her door. Through her window she could see Kevin waiting only somewhat patiently, looking down at his watch every few seconds before letting his eyes wander around the block. He was nervous about something. That was something for her to keep in mind.

For later. Right now all that mattered was the toast in her hand and the coffee in her bloodstream.

“Morning, Betty. Are you ready to head out?” he asked with the kind of chipperness that only those wound tight like springs can muster.

It was a tone Betty was familiar with. “Of course. Shall we?”

The ride in the nicely tinted car was much less eventful this time around. Kevin chattered idly, but Betty found herself nodding along with gentle hums only to placate him and what she knew of social graces. Her mind was far too busy dwelling on the possibilities that lay waiting for her behind a glass case. She wondered what they might have uncovered during the night. Today she would get to spend hours learning more and more about him. She craved to feel countless notebooks full of knowledge. This was the discovery of a lifetime.

“It was amazing, wasn’t it? To see it in real life. It’s something special,” Kevin asked, pulling her from her concentration. There was a knowing smile on his lips, but she doubted he truly understood the excitement flourishing in her heart.

Betty smiled softly in return. If there was one thing she loved to do, it was talk about her work. Perhaps it could even be pinpointed as the single most likely reason for her lacking current companionship. Not that many men and women hadn’t tried their hand at it. Maybe she was just the kind of person who was married to their work. Her entire life she just felt like she was waiting for something to come along.

Maybe this was it.

“Actually, I have reason to believe him to be male. Judging by some of the familiar characteristics I could link back to other aquatic animals, that’s how it seems. Of course, it isn’t entirely possible to tell. I don’t know where to start comparing him: with aquatic mammals or if he’s some kind of ichthyoid. It seems like he has the capacity to breath underwater but being above the surface doesn’t harm him. At least not from what I’ve seen.

“The other reason I think so is simply because of the size. Once again, I have nothing to compare him to, so this is just an assumption, but he would be rather large if you measured from fin to head, probably a bit taller than the average grown man. It’s hard to be certain, but there was something else that tips me off is his coloring. The patterns are intricate, which could indicate male as well since they’re often a factor in intersexual selection. The last thing is how prominent his dorsal fin is. Of course, it’s all just based on conjecture at the moment, but I really do think the chances are high of him being a male of…whatever species he is.”

Kevin listened patiently throughout her entire explanation. His eyes only glossed over once or twice, and for that she was thankful. “I guess you’ll just have to give the species a name soon.”

She lit up at that. “I suppose I will.”

“Oh, and this is yours.” Kevin pulled out a badge with her picture and information on it. The back had a barcode and some numbers she didn’t quite understand. The most surprising information on there was near the bottom.  _ Access Level: 8 _ . For now she didn’t dare to question what that meant, but she took it from him gratefully. “You should be able to access more things around the facility. You won’t need me guiding you around as much, which is good because I have other things I have to do. That’s the joy of being an underpaid secretary for a powerful man with a lot of secrets. You can also use your badge to get into computer systems where you can update information on the species. It has a direct link to Mr. St. Claire, so he’ll be able to read all the research notes you take.”

That was something Betty didn’t quite love the thought of. Someone watching over her, studying for anything they might not like, potentially putting together pieces before her. It wasn’t out of jealousy so much as the worry that a man without a scientific background may misunderstand exactly what she had to say.

“Am I allowed to make paper notes that I’ll be able to take home? I can’t spend my entire life in a facility and I need a fresh perspective sometimes.”

“Absolutely. That’s what the NDA you signed yesterday was for. It’s security, I’m sure you understand.”

She did, but only because she had run into this sort of thing once or twice. Corporations and all the red tape that came with them were extremely bothersome, but at least now she could be confident that she wouldn’t be troubled any further with that sort of thing. She was a researcher. If she were out trying to make millions she wouldn’t have agreed to become a professor.

The same security guard as before was there to greet them, though he looked even less interested in her than he had yesterday, waving them threw once they each scanned their badges at the booth. He saluted once as their car drove through.

“Can you believe I ever had sex with him?” Kevin said with a sigh. “Every day I regret how good it was.”

Betty nearly choked on her coffee. Not exactly the kind of banter she was expecting with a colleague so early into the morning. Or at all, considering how little they knew of each other. Unsure of what else to do, she offered a half laugh and began drinking her coffee even faster.

Getting to the actual facility was still a pain in the ass. They followed the same path as yesterday. As they walked through the halls, she asked, “Would it be alright if I made a list of things I think I’ll need throughout the day? Can I submit that to you?”

“I’m the one who would deal with that, yeah. I’ll text you my email, so send everything you need there. If anything is an emergency, tell me when I come to check up on you later. Along the same lines, if you think there’s anything you’d like to study about him that you’re not such how to accomplish, let me know and I’ll speak with Mr. St. Claire about figuring out a way to make it work. I doubt it— _ he _ would be too thrilled if you started poking around his sensitive areas and anatomy so we could figure out a sedation method or something if necessary.”

The very thought made her squirm. It was one thing to be curiously looking over fish and porpoise genitalia, but whoever he was, there was enough thought to perform intricate human communication, at least on some level, enough to understand what  _ thank you _ meant and use it appropriately. Sedating him felt wrong.

“I’ll keep you updated. I hope that he might be cooperative to our learning efforts if I figure out how to communicate with him.”

Kevin grimaced, stopping at the same door from yesterday. “Well, good luck with that. I’ll stop by later if you need me. The whistle that gets him to come up is by the door. His food is in the labeled cooler, if you want to feed him. Don’t feel obligated to. He bites.”

They bid each other a quick farewell before Betty eagerly went inside the room. Everything was the same as yesterday aside from a CAUTION: WET FLOOR sign near the side of the tank where the ladder was affixed. The water sat still and unmoving, making her a bit nervous. The room was silent aside from the gentle hum of the pump keeping the tank purified and clean.

“Hello?” she called out, but there was no answer.

Betty felt unwilling to blow the whistle, aware that the noise might be causing more irritation to him than anything. She stumbled around for a few minutes to get acquainted with the area. This would be her workspace for a while, her home away from home. Arguably, she might be spending more time here than anywhere else. She could already imagine the trash being full to bursting with various take out containers.

Just as she was about to give up and resign herself to sitting at one of the tables and making observations about the water level and possibly necessary changes to keep comfort level high, she heard a gentle splash. Betty’s eyes shot towards the glass and was thrilled to see the same picturesque image as she had yesterday. Whatever this was, a mermaid or something else perhaps even more fantastical, was swimming back and forth around the front of the tank, curiously watching her writing.

She stood up quickly. “Hello. I came back.”

Unsure of what else to say, Betty stayed on her feet, watching his movements carefully. Even if he didn’t talk again, she could at least get some understanding of his body mechanics. Everything about him was so graceful under the water, webbed fingers guiding him back and forth. She swallowed hard and waited as patiently as she could. Finally, after what felt like hours, he moved up, breaking through the taught surface of the water and peaking above the tank.

“Sun human.” His throat was raw from being unused, his words shaky and stuttered, but he had said something to her clear as day. He had combined two words, yes, but to form what sort of meaning she wasn’t sure. Either way, he seemed to have at least a rudimentary grasp of the English language.

“I’m sorry. I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

“Sun hair,” he clarified, coughing once, a hand coming up to pull at his own inky black locks. “That’s what you are.”

Each word was so deliberate and thoughtful. Betty was in awe of him, such clear speech patterns, like this had not been something he had picked up recently, but instead spent years understanding. Her hair was blonde, yellow, the same color as the sun. Maybe he didn’t know everything in her lexicon, but it was still impressive.

“You can call me Betty. That’s my name. What is yours?”

At that he tilts his head, thinking for some time. “It’s too hard. Call me Jughead.”

What a peculiar name that was. But this was a chance to get into his customs, to learn more about what culture might exist within the world of the fantastical. She pulled out her notebook, sliding the pen from her ponytail and taking a step closer. “Why do you go by that?”

“My head was stuck in a jar tossed into the ocean by a human.”

She did her best not to laugh. It seemed silly, but then again, it made sense that he would be dealing with the repercussions of pollution as well. How many times had his fin or his fingers been caught in straws or soda can rings? Maybe people would understand their role in the deterioration of mother nature if it wasn't just humans who could communicate its flaws.

“Oh. That makes sense.” Betty took a deep breath. “Is it hurting you to speak right now? You don’t have to continue if it does.”

The creature, Jughead, shook his head, tail swinging gently back and forth like an underwater metronome. “No. I can speak up or above the Okea.”

She looked at him curiously. “I’ve never heard the term Okea before. What does it mean?”

“It is the old word for Ocean. But we don’t use those much. We hear so much from the humans above that we’ve used the two together. Now it’s only for important things like Okea that we use old words. My grandfather barely remembers them.”

Everything he did or said was absolutely fascinating. She could feel herself getting dizzy with excitement. A language of their own, taken over so that they predominantly used English? Was this truly the influence of her own culture? Were the worlds so much more closely linked than anyone could ever have imagined? It was amazing to think about, and the hunger for knowledge grew with every passing second.

“So it’s a very old language then. That’s fascinating. What do you call it?”

He thought for a minute. “Closest approximation would be something such as: Atargatist.”

“Like the mermaid myth about Atargatis? She’s considered to be the first mermaid myth in existence, dating back to Assyrian myth. Are you saying that’s true?”

Much to her disappointment, he stared down at her with tired eyes and shrugged. “Is your God myth or fiction?”

Jughead left her speechless for a moment. He was so educated that it had surprised her, so eloquent, and she was the one asking probing questions to someone stuck in a cage. And such a boring-looking one at that.

Everything about his environment was bland; there was no stimulation in the tank that she could see at all. No wonder he came only when called and spent the time sulking under the one safe space they had given him. The entire thing felt completely sterile. Even people in long term hospitals were allowed to bring things to make it feel like home. Of course he seemed so grumpy.

“Fair enough. I’m sorry, I feel like I promised that I was going to help you out with your situation. It can’t be comfortable to only have a place to sleep. What sort of things do you need?”

“First? Food.” He pointed to the cooler in the back. “I promise I won’t bite you. You’re nice and I’m not bored right now, talking to you.”

Betty nodded, making her way over. The large amount of dead fish wasn’t a surprise to her. That was what happened when you worked in the world of marine life. Sometimes you got to see the majestic and horrifying cycle of life up close and personal. 

Inside were salmon, clams, crabs, and various other sea life. It was nice to know that he at least got a varied diet. Then again, maybe he didn’t. The only thing here was meat. She knew there was sea lettuce and kelp in the area that he would likely be accustomed to.

“Do you eat plants too?”

Jughead looked at her, always gazing in such a way that it felt like he could see through her to the very depth of her soul. “Yes. Not as often, but yes. I used to argue about eating kelp, but now I think I would kill someone with my bare hands to get some.”

“Kelp isn’t very common here. At least not as common as sea lettuce. How did you manage that?”

“I would steal it.”

Betty couldn’t help but laugh at that. She was learning so much, so fast, but the biggest of all was just how much of a personality he had. In her wildest dreams she never would have thought that the mermaids from books and movies were such accurate descriptions. He had his own life, his own thoughts, his own world to explore. Everything he saw was from a completely different perspective from hers.

In her journal, she started her list of necessities, starting with kelp and sea lettuce, making sure to explain it as a nutritional need for him. For now, his language capabilities would stay her little secret. He seemed uninterested in communicating with anyone else, and that was something she was not willing to push him on.

“Alright. Well, for today, before I can manage to get you some dietary enhancement so you don’t starve to death, what’s the verdict on food? Fish? Clams? Crab?”

“Surprise me. I like all food.”

She had to admit to herself that she was curious about how he would eat. The food appeared to be raw, but even humans were capable of eating raw fish if prepared correctly. She picked up one of each, hoping that this would be enough to fill him, but also show her what she so desperately wanted to see. Anthropology was not her field of expertise in college, though it had been her minor simply so she could have peace of mind to explore more mermaid folklore without judgement, but she knew that the preparation of food could tell you a lot about a culture.

Putting on a set of large gloves and a coat she found on the wall so she wouldn’t get wet or end up with fish guts under her nails (not that she hadn’t before, but it wasn’t a pleasant clean-up experience), she put the food into the bucket and began climbing her way up the ladder. It wasn’t the easiest movement, but with years of practice feeding dolphins at aquariums during her undergraduate years, she managed to get up high enough that she could set things on the feeding tray. Her notebook had come with her too, of course. No self-respecting marine biologist would work without a waterproof paper set up.

“Alright, here we go. I’ve brought you some food. If it’s not enough just let me know and I’ll climb back down and get it. Do you want me to dump it all in at once?”

“Do I look like I was raised by a starving shark to you?”

Betty blinked, trying to figure out exactly what he was getting at. “Um, no, I don’t think so. Unless you were?”

“It’s saying back home. Please just hand it to me so I don’t have to chase it to the bottom of this thing like they’ve been doing for since I got put in here. I normally eat in my cave. It’s the only thing I have, after all.”

She winced. “Don’t worry. I’ll fix that too. What sort of things do you need? I figured stimulation would be a big thing. I can’t imagine what you’re doing in there to keep yourself busy.”

“Sharpening fish bones into knives.”

Betty didn’t know if he was joking or not. That was definitely something she would have to figure out, maybe ask Kevin if there were any bones found when they did tank cleanings. It would help her feel a little more at ease knowing he wasn’t going to come at her with a bone knife.

With her gloves still on, she picked up the large salmon first, surprised by its size. Would he really be able to eat that whole thing and more? Then again, she had no idea what his internal anatomy might look like. Maybe she could figure out how to do an X-ray and an MRI on him to see. She certainly wasn’t planning on cutting him open like some dead octopus back from her researching days.

He grabbed it before it could slip down below the surface of the water. With his head up above she could get a better look at him up close. There were gill slits on his neck, but other than that his face appeared mostly human, at least so far in anatomy. His teeth were insanely sharp in the front but she was unwilling to put her fingers in danger to pry open his mouth and see if his back teeth were flat like hers.

One of the things she had noticed before was just how sharp his fingernails were. His fingers were connected with webbing, likely to help him navigate the water better, but even then she had wondered if the sharpness was to help with self defense or something else. With a quick swipe he had cut open the fish’s stomach, the blood diluting the water pink. He pried it in half, fibrous tissue cracking as he ripped the vertebral column, setting it beside her without much thought. 

The eyes were plucked out first, using his sharp nails as a skewer. It was a bit disgusting, graphic for even what she had seen, but Betty felt compelled to continue watching. His movements were obviously practiced. This was common place for him.

“Do you normally pick out the spines?” she asked, swallowing hard. “Humans do. When we eat them. They’re difficult for us to digest.”

He shook his head. “No. I hardly notice them when I eat. But I won’t eat the shell of a crab. It’s too tough, painful on my teeth. The little bones don’t do much but make it crunchy. My mother says the bones are good. There are some people who live close to heat rifts who can cook the bones, but she would crush them for us to eat when we were sick. A long time ago we used to go to the surface and cook them, but now that humans are everywhere we don’t do it much. It has to be for a special reason.”

Grabbing her pen and notebook, Betty wrote down everything he said. Ever since she was young she had a special language all to herself. It made the deciphering of her notes difficult so no one with curious eyes could catch her research and take it for themselves. For some reason it felt especially important now. Until she uncovered the reason for Nick St. Claire’s interest in mermaids, she would give him just enough so that she could continue to be paid for her research.

“That’s fascinating. I didn’t stop to think there would be so many cultures! I bet there are nomadic people as well, right?” He looked up at her from a bite of his fish, blood smeared across his lips and she realized that she might be interrupting his meal. “Oh. Right. I’m sorry. First things first we figure out things you need to not go insane in here.”

“I need sound. It’s too quiet in here. I’m used to nothing but sounds, going to sleep hearing the boats above the fish around. I feel like I’m going insane with nothing but my own thoughts and whatever that is making the  _ whrrrr _ noise. It makes time pass by so slowly. All I’ve been doing is sleeping and making small carvings on the inside of my cave!”

Betty couldn’t imagine hearing nothing but her own thoughts for days on end. No wonder he was trying to make fish bone shanks. “Do you like music?”

“Yes,” Jughead answered. “Human music is different from the music at home, but I like it. When I was younger I would come out to the pier place and listen to the sounds and music people would play. It was boring after a while. Now I get close to the beaches to hear what people are playing on the portable sound machines. I like it all.”

That was something she could work with. An underwater speaker and a mix of music could help cheer him up greatly, and that meant someone who was easier to work with, someone willing to speak. She would make sure to mention to Kevin that the sounds could help ease him out of his cave without a whistle that could damage his ears.

“Alright. I can definitely do that. What else? I’m worried that anything I suggest might make it seem like you’re...a dog.”

His eyes lit up at that. “The silly four legged things, right? The soft ones. The ones like dolphins that live on land? They are friendly and want to know you. I’ve always wanted to touch one. But no, I am no dolphin. I think I am much more like you than them.”

The comparison made her laugh. She had always heard her fellows refer to dolphins as a sort of dog of the sea. It was good to know that mermaids had tamed them in some ways as companions. 

“Alright. I’ll start thinking of some things that I would want underwater. Do you write? Or read?”

“Most of our stories are told orally, but yes, I write and read. We don’t write often because of the time it takes to carve out on rocks and stone, but I have done it from time to time. You have it much easier. This thing you can write on where the ink comes out. I want many of them. Does the ink come from squids? Could I eat them?”

Betty shook her head. “Not from squids no. This ink isn’t edible at all, so I wouldn’t try. But I can give you one of my old notebooks you can use underwater and a pen too. I have a few extra ones. Are your storytellers respected at all? I can imagine that’s a lot of history to pass down just by word of mouth.”

“It is. I am one. Or I was. There is no one to tell the history to in a glass box of water.”

The jackpot. That’s what she had hit. Not only was there a real life mermaid in front of her, but he had more knowledge than anyone else on the subject of his own history. There was so much she could learn from him.

But he was trapped, wasn’t he? A captive in a case that no doubt felt as far away from home as you could get. Betty felt a rock in her throat, which she swallowed down quickly. The most important thing right now was research, to understand. Maybe then she could convince Nick that there was no need to keep him captive if he was willing to teach them all he had to say. 

At least that’s what she hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY! DID YOU KNOW I MADE A RIVERDALE ZINE! Please check it out as all proceeds go to charity. If you wish to purchase it go to gumroad.com/riverdalepridezine it's got bughead, varchie, choni, queer character, and representation of your faves! Please consider purchasing a copy for some awesome and cool art and writing!

**Author's Note:**

> let me know what you thought and hit me up on tumblr @tory-b, and if you happen to be interested in cosplays (i've done a few of riverdale) you can follow me on instagram @tori.bug.bird


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